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Shabbos Kodesh2 Tammuz 57816/12/2021

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A repetition that cannot be described in words

This is the dry expression for the radiant and exalted Shabbos Kodesh that the members of our community, residents of Eretz Yisroel, merited to experience in the shadow of holiness of the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a in the holy city of Tzfas, may it be rebuilt.

Without any exaggeration! It is simply impossible to convey within the framework of a report the elevation, the excitement and the holiness of this radiant Shabbos, beginning with the tefillos of the night of Shabbos Kodesh, the exalted pure tish until the early morning hours, the tefillos of Shabbos day, the magnificent Shabbos day seudah headed by the Rebbe shlit"a, the stirring seudah of Raava d'Raavin, and the uplifting gathering on Motzei Shabbos at the grand siyum on Maseches Yevamos within the Yesodei HaTorah framework. Even if we had all the days and the entire assembly, we would not be able to describe it.

Nevertheless, for the benefit of the public we will try to report the bare events and honors that took place throughout the Shabbos in the shadow of holiness.

From Thursday afternoon, Satmar chassidim were already seen walking about the lanes of the ancient city of Tzfas, may it be rebuilt, as though at home, especially those who came with their families. But the great surge began on Friday morning after Tehillim, when the larger part of the public traveled from Meron to Tzfas. Jews from all corners and all ends of Eretz Yisroel dragged themselves with their suitcases over the hills of Tzfas with tremendous longing and joy: "Is it a small thing? We are zoche to a Shabbos with the Rebbe just with us, the sons of Eretz Yisroel!!!!".

The Rebbe shlit"a himself arrived in Tzfas already a half hour before the time, after the mikvah. The davening took place in a hall in the Tomer Devorah building right next to the Tzfas cemetery. At candle-lighting time, all the Satmar bochurim from Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak gathered for a special preparatory address by HaGaon Rabbi, the Rav of Beis Medrash Beis Boruch shlit"a, son of the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a. About three quarters of an hour after the time, when the Rebbe entered the hall of the beis medrash, which was filled to overflowing, the Rebbe immediately approached the amud for Hodu. The feelings of that moment would not be traded for all the wealth in the world!

After Mincha, brief but fiery opening words were heard from HaGaon R' Mordechai Yazshef shlit"a, menahel of the Yeshiva Gedolah in Boro Park, about the longing and yearning of us, the talmidim and chassidim of the Rebbe shlit"a in Eretz Yisroel, for our father and shepherd, may he live long, shlit"a, "like water, face to face", and about the purpose and impact that must be drawn from such a rare, exalted Shabbos Kodesh.

Kabbalas Shabbos was led by HaGaon R' Yoshe Hersh Yazshef shlit"a, moreh tzedek in our kehilla. There was a moving Lecha Dodi at the holy tziyun of the author of Lecha Dodi, and the dancing at Bo'i B'shalom, as half the crowd stood on benches and tables with their children in their arms to see the tzaddik at his avodah, and the Rebbe danced with all his strength in honor of Shabbos. He was turned only to the right, following the Tzfas minhag that one davens facing south, and at Bo'i B'shalom one turns toward Maariv. The niggun was sung again and again, and it was a awe-inspiring sight to remember. Afterward the fiery dancing of Bar Yochai, following the Meron minhag in honor of the Tanna Elokai, lifted everyone into the lofty spheres.

After davening the entire crowd went to wish the Rebbe "Gut Shabbos," which took a longer time. The public went into the hall to eat the Shabbos seudah, during which HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Rav of Beis Medrash Ohel Feiga shlit"a spoke words of Torah, and zemiros, songs and praises were sung with closeness among the chaverim.


At the appointed time the whole crowd went out to the courtyard to the specially prepared pure tish. The area filled up in a flash to the last space, and it turned out that conducting the tish in that location was a special siyata d'Shmaya so that everyone would have room.


Since the area is located at the foot of the mountain, right next to the ancient cemetery in Tzfas, it was possible to set up enough space on the higher hills for the hundreds of women from our community in Eretz Yisroel to follow the entire tish well.

At about 11:30 the Rebbe shlit"a came out to the pure tish and began Shalom Aleichem with a flaming fire, as is his holy way. A fervor enveloped all the talmidim and chassidim who had been waiting so long for this exalted moment.
For Eishes Chayil the Rebbe shlit"a honored his firstborn son, our teacher HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Womsb"g shlit"a. Right after the cutting of the challah, the Rebbe shlit"a lifted the entire crowd and led them over to the holy grave in Meron. With an introduction of a Tzanz story, the Rebbe brought out that coming to Tzfas when one cannot be in Meron is not a detraction but an addition, and immediately burst into a festive dance in honor of the Tanna Elokai, Rashbi.

Before the fish was served, there was a gathering with songs and praises and holy words in honor of the Tanna Elokai, Rashbi, in the manner of derush and chassidus.

During the tish the Rebbe shlit"a spoke at length in holy words several times. For Kol Mekadesh the Rebbe shlit"a honored HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Eliezer Ernster, Rav of the Maor Chaim kehilla in Tzfas shlit"a, and for Menucha V'Simcha, HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Rav of Tzanz Shtibel in Tzfas shlit"a. For Kah Echsof the Rebbe honored HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Seredna Rebbe of Boro Park shlit"a, and for Birkas Hamazon his firstborn son, our teacher HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Womsb"g shlit"a. Afterward the Rebbe shlit"a told a longer story about his uncle, the holy Rebbe zt"l, when he stayed in the city of Tzfas. And for Yom HaShevi'i the Rebbe honored HaGaon R' Eliyahu Wolf Yaakov shlit"a, Rav of Rishon LeTzion.

It was already about 3:15 in the morning when the exalted pure tish concluded.


On Shabbos day

On Shabbos morning the Rebbe shlit"a came in to daven at 9:50. Amiras HaBrachos was given to HaGaon R' Shalom Klein shlit"a, Pesukei D'Zimra to HaGaon R' Yitzchak Isaac Friedman shlit"a, head of our kehilla in Beis Shemesh, and for Shacharis the Rebbe shlit"a led the davening with great arousal, as is his holy way.

Opening the Aron Kodesh and reciting Shema Yisroel was given to HaGaon the Dayan and Moreh Tzedek of our kehilla in Boro Park shlit"a. At the bimah stood the gabbaim of our kehilla from Yerushalayim and Boro Park, R' Zusia Aryeh Stern and HaGaon R' Yekusiel Yitzchak Brach shlit"a, who arranged the aliyos and honors.

Kohen was HaGaon R' Avrohom Shlomo Katz shlit"a; Levi — the esteemed R' Eliyahu Zev Levy of the holy city of Vienna; Shlishi — our teacher HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Womsb"g shlit"a; Revi'i — HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Rav of Beis Medrash Ohel Feiga shlit"a; Chamishi — HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Dayan and Moreh Tzedek of our kehilla in Yerushalayim shlit"a; Shishi — the Rebbe shlit"a himself was called up and then recited the names for several newborn daughters in our community, l'mazel tov; Shevi'i — the philanthropist R' Asher Zelig Levy, head of our kehilla in London; Hosafah — R' Chaim Shlomo Fischer of Shabbos Kodesh; Acharon — HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din of Sighet shlit"a; Maftir — the esteemed R' Meir Hirsch, head of the kehilla and mosdos in Kiryas Joel.

Hagbah and Gelilah were given to the two menahalim, Rabbi Elazar Yonah Steinmetz shlit"a, menahel of the Talmud Torah in Boro Park, and HaGaon R' Yoshe Klein shlit"a, menahel of the Yeshiva Ketana in Yerushalayim.

Mussaf was led before the amud by HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Rav of Beis Medrash Beis Boruch shlit"a, and the Kohanim duchened only at Mussaf, following the Tzfas minhag. The opening of Ane'im Zemiros was given to HaGaon R' Zalman Yuda Kahana shlit"a, one of the rabbonim of our kehilla in Beis Shemesh.

The Rebbe shlit"a made Kiddush in his private room, and meanwhile the public went into the dining hall where they washed for the Shabbos day seudah. Due to lack of space, a separate place was arranged for the seudah of the hundreds of bochurim, and our teacher HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Womsb"g shlit"a spoke words of Torah. In the meantime the Rebbe shlit"a came into the seudah and washed, and then the Rav shlit"a continued.

During his words the Rav shlit"a brought out the strong and firm bond that our community in Eretz Yisroel has with the Rebbe, "face to face," and the love that the Rebbe shlit"a has for our community in Eretz Yisroel, explaining the saying "this parsha is well expounded": that the mitzvah of building the Mishkan was all "by the word of Hashem through Moshe," yet this was the praise of Betzalel, that although he was filled with wisdom and knowledge that Hashem had granted him, nevertheless he asked Moshe Rabbeinu about every matter, and this was exactly what Korach disputed.

Throughout the seudah the public sang songs and praises with spiritual elevation, together as one man with one heart. After the Rebbe shlit"a sang the zemer Chai Hashem, HaGaon R' Yekusiel Yitzchak Brach shlit"a posed several questions to the Rebbe shlit"a on various matters, to which the Rebbe responded and spoke at length with openness and closeness.
Among other things, the Rebbe spoke and related his memories of the journeys of his uncle, the holy Rebbe zt"l, the Divrei Yoel, to Eretz Yisroel in the years 5715, 5719 and 5725, with many details, as he himself took part in accompanying and receiving his great uncle, at the right hand of his father, the holy Rebbe zt"l, the Beirach Moshe.
To the question regarding the current upheavals in Eretz Yisroel as the government changes, which affects Satmar chassidim, the Rebbe gave a brief answer in the manner of a figure of speech: This evil is not like that evil, but their way is to go and cause harm.....!
They also spoke about various other matters regarding hashkafos, and regarding Shemitta, as the Rebbe related various very interesting matters from his treasury of memories from the Shemitta years when he lived in Eretz Yisroel.

Later they continued for a very long time with zemiros, songs and praises. The zemer Baruch Hashem Yom Yom was given to HaGaon R' Yitzchak Dovid Yaakov shlit"a of Yerushalayim, menahel of the Yeshiva Ketana in Boro Park, and the zemer Baruch Eli Elyon to HaGaon R' Avrohom Meir Dirnfeld shlit"a, menahel of the Talmud Torah in Williamsburg. Afterward the Rebbe shlit"a said brief holy words and told our community that he plans, IY"H, to come more often on short trips to Eretz Yisroel — Meron — and also to meet with the members of our community, his brothers in outlook.
For Birkas Hamazon the Rebbe honored his son HaGaon the Av Beis Din of Sighet shlit"a. The clock was already striking almost 4:00 in the afternoon when the tish ended.

In the afternoon, HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Rav of Beis Medrash Yismach Moshe shlit"a delivered a magnificent shiur in Pirkei Avos to our community, full of guidance and chizuk.

The Rebbe came to Mincha half an hour after the time. Opening the Aron was given to HaGaon R' Shimon Yoel Brach shlit"a; Kohen — R' Avrohom Yehoshua Glantz; Levi — R' Yoel the bochur of Avrohom Chaim Weinberger; Shlishi — HaGaon HaTzaddik, the Rav of Beis Medrash Yismach Moshe shlit"a; Hagbah — the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a; Gelilah — R' Meir Stern, chairman of the Mamlechet HaTorah administration in Womsb"g.

The arousal at the Raava d'Raavin gathering in the courtyard was an awe-inspiring scene. The deveikus niggunim before the zemiros, the zemiros themselves, and the acceptance of the yoke of heaven with a fiery passion echoed from one end of the city of Tzfas to the other. For Odeh the Rebbe honored R' Tzvi Akiva Breitstein, director of the mosdos in Boro Park; Shir HaMaalos — R' Yissachar Betzalel Yaakov, director of the mosdos in Yerushalayim. Afterward the Rebbe spoke at length in words of chizuk and arousal regarding mesiras nefesh. Yedid Nefesh — R' Moshe Chaim Weiss; El Mistateir — R' Yechezkel Rotter. The Rebbe shlit"a recited the blessing over the cup, and after Maariv made Havdalah there in the courtyard. The Havdalah candle was held jointly by two prominent children from our mosdos in Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak.

On Motzei Shabbos at a late hour the buses departed for the grand siyum gathering of Yesodei HaTorah in the gigantic "Magiah" hall in Tiberias, where the enormous crowd rejoiced in honor of the Torah, headed by the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a, founder of the chaburah. The Rebbe traveled in the car of the distinguished philanthropist R' Menachem Shlomo Friedman of Boro Park.

R' Meir Hirsch shlit"a, one of the heads of the kehilla and mosdos in Kiryas Joel, opened the gathering with very fitting words. The siyum was given to HaGaon R' David Cohen shlit"a, head of the Eitz Chaim kehilla, and the beginning of the masechta to HaGaon R' Lipa Teitelbaum shlit"a, rosh kollel of the Erev "Lev Aharon" kollel and chairman of the Yerushalayim Avreichim Union. The crowd then went out in a festive dance, as on Simchas Torah, for a lengthy time.

Afterward the Rebbe shlit"a delivered an address of chizuk and guidance to our community, residents of Eretz Yisroel, and with heartfelt emotion expressed his innermost feelings about the exalted Shabbos with our community, his brothers in outlook. Afterward, with fiery dancing to "Ashrei HaAm SheKacha Lo," they accompanied the Rebbe on his way to the grave of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes for Shacharis at dawn.

Fortunate is the eye that saw the joy of our kehilla!